With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 34

Later that day Natsu decided to check up on Erza since he hadn't of seen her for awhile. As expected he found her in the lab trying to perfect that miracle drug she had discovered.

"What's up doc?" Natsu asked entering the room.

"I'm not a doctor yet Natsu." She said.

"Well you might as well be one. You're just as brilliant and intelligent as Professor Clive."

"Thank you."

"So where's your boyfriend? Out hunting?"

"Not exactly. Jellal has decided to live here with me so he's returned to Galuna Island to get his things. Once I finish my education we can be married and begin our lives together."

"You're engaged?"

"I have been for half a year. He asked me sometime before the whole insanity of what the drug did to him. But insisted that we wait til I graduate."

"Well I'm happy for you but are you sure you want to marry this guy? He is a little nuts."

"Believe me Natsu, if you knew him before he contracted that disease you'd understand that he's very sweet, understanding, and kind. By the way I can't thank you and Gray enough for helping me cure him. I don't think he would have ever become the man I love again if it weren't for you two."

"Think nothing of it." He said. "You help us all the time. It's only natural that we help you however we can."

"Speaking of we, where is Gray?"

"He's spying on Juvia's date."

"Why?"

"He says that he thinks her date might be Black Demon but I think it's because he's jealous."

"But I thought he didn't want a relationship with her."

"That's what he said. Sometimes I don't understand Gray at all."

"I'm sure you're not alone on that subject."

They talked for an hour then Natsu left to go back to his dorm room. But suddenly he heard another explosion go off followed by the sound of Black Demon's horrible laughter. Natsu quickly changed into his costume and went to confront the villain. He found him stealing from another chemical factory but when Natsu moved to attack him Black Demon threw splicers the pinned the young hero to the nearest wall.

"I knew you'd come." He chuckled. "And I'm glad that you came alone because I wanted to talk to you privately."

"What do you want you freak? If it's about that stupid offer-"

"Oh no. No it's not that. In fact you could say that it's good news for you."

"I doubt that."

"Just be quiet and listen." He said. "I've finished up most of my business for now so I'm going to take a temporary leave of absence."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you won't be seeing me for quite some time but I'm not finished with what I have completely so one day I'll be back."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because with this information I know that you'll never have any peace. You'll spend all your time worrying and wondering when I'll come back and what kind of damage I'll cause. It'll drive you mad I'm sure."

"Wow do you have a large ego. Hate to disappoint but I have way more better things to think about than you."

"If that's really true than you're no hero. A true hero never has any peace of mind. All he can ever think about is the next threat coming for the innocent lives he's supposed to protect and so far I'm the biggest threat there is. You know I secretly hope that you really aren't tormented by the fear of me returning and causing harm because that would mean you have no heroic justice which means you'll be easier to corrupt."

"You won't corrupt me!"

"Who said it would be me that corrupt you? If not me it will be someone or something else. You see hero boy, good people like you can only be heroes for so long. Sooner or later the pressure, the expectation, and the constant dependence from others will cause your inner mind to break and when that happens you'll either die or become a corrupted menace of the world just like me."

"I will never be like you!"

"Then you'll die. As many men have said throughout the years you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain."

"I don't believe a word of that."

"Of course you'd deny it but it's inevitable. If I had to predict what would happen regarding you and the other do gooder, I'd say that he would eventually die while performing some heroic act but you...No you are going to become a villain. One way or another it's bound to happen."

"You're wrong!"

"Am I? Give it some time."

He then grabbed Natsu by his throat, pulled him from the wall, and slammed him into the other wall. His head collided hard with the metal and Black Demon's laugh was the last thing he heard before losing consciousness. Sometime after this he awoke to Gray shaking him by the shoulders.

"Natsu are you okay?" Gray asked him with extreme concern.

"My head hurts but I'll be alright." Natsu groaned.

"Thank God. I saw that lunatic Black Demon fly by. What did he do to you?"

"Besides throwing me into a wall, he told me that he would be taking a temporary leave of absence."

"What does that mean?"

"I think it means he'll stop terrorizing city for awhile. But for how long I don't know."

"Just what in hell does this psycho want?"

"I don't know." Natsu clutched his head. He felt a terrible throbbing in it and he was bleeding a little. "I think I need to go to the hospital."

"Alright let's get changed."

They changed back into their regular clothes and started walking to the hospital.

"So how did your little stakeout go?" Natsu asked Gray. "Is Lyon really Black Demon?"

"No I was wrong. I saw Black Demon fly right past Juvia and Lyon so bomb goes that theory."

"I figured but at least we can take a little break from trying to catch this guy."

"True but let's not let our guard down. Whoever this man is, he's probably the biggest threat we've ever encountered."